Eastern Railroad Discussion > RN WHFF, DL derailment & PT98, NS 37T @ Nicholson

Headed north to Scranton Friday afternoon (for my father-in-law's 90th birthday celebration Saturday afternoon).  We perfectly timed a quick off-and-on from I-81 to capture the ever-dependable Reading and Northern WHFF (West Hazleton Fast Freight) from Humboldt Industrial Park to North Reading and return.  It's on a tight schedule departing Humboldt at 16:15, and we caught it 16:35 coming through McAdoo at the end of the road in the cemetery.

Next, arriving at Scranton, I made a quick recon mission to scout out the derailment the Delaware Lackawanna had just earlier in the day just east of the old Lackawanna station and headquarters.  They were moving several heat exchangers which were destined to a new natural gas power plant in Jessup, Pa, and the CNJ RS3 1554 appears to have picked a switch.  Hulcher had equipment on the scene, but clean-up would not commence until Saturday morning.  That created some question on what Saturday's normal PT98/97 Portland turn would do.

Saturday morning after breakfast the NS 37T had come off the Lehigh Line onto the ex Lackawanna / D&H / CP line to Binghamton.  Just missing a photo op in Scranton, I travelled to the huge Nicholson viaduct to grab some shots of the 37T atop it.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/19/17 22:00 by sscannella.

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One more image of the 37T atop the bridge to give a perspective of its enormity.

The question of the DL PT98 was answered on some FB posts reporting that it's power had returned lite to Scranton Friday evening and had been positioned east of the derailment site, and was then seen heading east about 10:00 am Sunday morning.  Before heading east to search for the PT98, I grabbed a quick shot of a trio of DL 4-axle units which had worked the Carbondale Line Friday resting near Bridge 60 tower.

I also took a moment to check out the start of the work to rerail the 1554 and the high valued load, the troops were looking over the work site but no real work had started before I set off on the hunt for the PT98.

 

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I then intercepted the PT98 working the grain mill at Mt Pocono making a large pickup of empties to be added to a nice size cut of empty sand and plastic hoppers from the Carbondale Line.

The large train (by DL standards) had to pull down past the old DL&W Mt. Pocono station to finish its pickup, it's the first time I ever took a photo at this location.

Nest image is the 98 now nearing 100 cars slowing past the restored Cresco station preparing to switch the Bestway Lumber treatment plant.

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After departing Bestway, the car count came in at exactly 100 (including a former Conrail Scale test car picked up from the grain mill), seen here first at Henry's Crossing, then coming through the town of East Stroudsburg. 

The final image here is of the PT98 approaching Portland, PA and it's interchange with NS H76.

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NS came up from Allentown with a trio of big 6-axle power (including a UP unit), which tied on to the DL cars one the 5 Alco products cut away and tied on to their inbound 55 loads.

At this point, there are two choices, follow the NS H76 to Allentown, or follow the DL PT97 back through East Stroudsburg on its way to the grain mill and eventually Scranton.  But for me there was a third option (actually my only option), head back to Scranton for my father-in-laws 90th birthday celebration.  A milestone like that definitely trumps the rail photography, but I certainly had a fantastic 6 hours trackside!

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Excellent photo essay of a RR with a unique heritage power set! IIRC, back in the CP days of D&H ownership, Ardent Mills grain destined for Mt Pocono used to come in from Canada via Buffalo/Binghamton (perhaps the grain originated in Canada?) but the traffic is obviously taking a different routing coming into Allentown from a US source? The Ardent Mills operation in Ayer, MA gets much of its grain delivered via BNSF-CSX unit trains to Pan Am at Rotterdam Jct.

Very nice work. Thanks for the wider photo of the Nicholson viaduct. 
John

Sam - nice job and well documented!

GREAT stuff...!!  I have always enjoyed that viaduct......pictures don't do it justice.

Great shots!

Great way to spend a day!  Great job with the photos and coverage.  

Hey Sam, you spend a lot of time in my neck of the woods, ever think about moving back?
Ed K. cp Laurel Run

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Thanks for the great series, it's amazing to see all that activity in a concentrated area.

The D-L is likely to see continued business from the natural gas development up toward Jesup, Archbold, etc. Several drillers have signalled greater investment is on the way.